Some examples of an ordinary rotary operating-type electronic device include a variable resistor for providing a desired resistance, an encoder for providing an output of electric signal, and so on by way of turning an operating axle. These rotary operating-type electronic devices are provided with an operating axle in a position coaxial with a center of rotation, and fixed along the rotary axis, so that the operating axle is movable only in a direction of the rotation, or the direction of rotation and a direction of the axis.
A rotary encoder equipped with a push switch will be described hereinafter, as a representative of the rotary operating-type electronic device of the prior art, by referring to FIG. 11 depicting a cross-sectional view thereof.
In FIG. 11, an operating axle 31 is inserted into a circular hole 32A of a bearing 32 from underneath of it, and a center circular portion 31A is held fitted in the circular hole 32A in a manner that the operating axle 31 is rotatable as well as vertically movable. A thin non-circular spindle 31B at a lower end of the operating axle 31 fits into a non-circular hole 33A in a center of a rotary contact board 33 in such a manner that a rotary movement of the operating axle 31 is transferred to the rotary contact board 33 whereas a vertical movement is not.
The rotary contact board 33 stays in its vertical position by being held between the bearing 32 and a case 34 beneath the rotary contact board 33. The rotary contact board 33 is provided on its lower surface with a contact plate 35 by an insert molding. The contact plate 35, which functions as movable contacts, includes a center ring portion 35A and a plurality of rectangular web portions 35B extending radially from the center ring portion 35A, as shown in FIG. 12, i.e. a plan view depicting an underside surface thereof.
The case 34 is provided with flexible contacts 36A, 36B and 36C, all serving as stationary contact points. The flexible contact 36A resiliently stays in contact with the center ring portion 35A, and the flexible contacts 36B and 36C resiliently stay in contact with the rectangular web portions 35B of the contact plate 35 respectively. And, all of the above elements constitute a rotary encoder unit. The flexible contacts 36B and 36C are so positioned that they are slightly shifted with each other in a direction of the rotation.
Further, a push switch 37 is disposed under the case 34, and a lower end 31C of the operating axle 31 locates in touch with an upper end of a push button 37A of the push switch 37.
An operation of the rotary encoder equipped with a push switch is described hereinafter. When an operating knob 39 attached on an upper end 31D of the operating axle 31 is rotated, it turns the rotary contact board 33 together with the rotation of the operating axle 31. The three flexible contacts 36A, 36B and 36C facing against the contact plate 35 on the lower surface of the rotary contact board 33 slide on a surface of the center ring portion 35A and the rectangular web portions 35B, and generate pulse signals between the terminals 38A and 38B, as well as the terminals 38A and 38C among the three terminals 38A, 38B and 38C connected to their respective flexible contacts, thereby functioning as an encoder.
In the above operation, there is a time delay between the pulse signals generated between the terminals 38A and 38B, and between the terminals 38A and 38C, due to the shift in positions of the flexible contacts 36B and 36C, which are in contact with the rectangular web portions 35B of the contact plate 35. This allows a circuit of an apparatus, which employs this device, to detect a direction of the rotation, and thereby it is able to function according to the direction and an amount of the rotation.
Also, the operating axle 31 is so constructed that it is not movable in the vertical direction during this rotating manipulation, so that the push switch 37 does not function.
When the operating axle 31 is moved downward by applying a depressing force to the operating knob 39 attached to the upper end 31D of the operating axle 31, as shown by an arrow 100 in FIG. 13, i.e. a cross sectional view of the device, the lower end 31C depresses the push button 37A to operate the push switch 37.
The rotary encoder unit does not function during this manipulation, because the rotary contact board 33 does not move downward, nor does it rotate.
However, since the rotary operating-type electronic device of the prior art operates only in the direction of rotation and the direction of axis of the operating axle 31 attached to the operating knob 39, it substantially restricts freedom in designing the apparatuses that employ these devices.
An object of the present invention is to solve the foregoing problem, and to provide a rotary operating-type electronic device that is capable of operating a linearly-driven type component in addition to a rotary type component by rotating and tilting an operating axle provided with an operating knob.